Charges being sought in dog abuse case

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Times-Standard

Chris Durant

Felony charges are being sought against a couple who were allegedly caring for more than a dozen dogs of a friend taken into custody earlier in the year on an unrelated case.

Trinity County Animal Control Officer Christine Edwards said at least 13 felony animal cruelty charges are going to be sought through the Trinity County District Attorney's Office against John and Stacy Malcolm.

The Malcolms were reportedly watching the dogs for a friend who was, according to Edwards, training them to sell as farm dogs.

Stacy Malcolm was contacted at her work Monday but said she would have to talk to her lawyer before telling her side of the story. “I have nothing to hide,” Stacy Malcolm said.

The 13 dogs were taken from their Mad River kennels Friday by Shannon Miranda of Miranda's Animal Rescue.

In a previous interview he said it was the worst rescue he's ever been on and the dogs were cannibalistic and “emaciated, full of fleas and feces.”

One of the dogs was in such poor condition that rescuers believed the animal to be dead and was placed with the other dog carcasses. The dog is now being treated and kept in a quiet spot, away from the others.

Miranda did not return phone calls on Monday asking on the current conditions of the rescued dogs.

The original owner of the dogs, not named by Edwards, was taken into custody sometime around March.